Hacı Özen, a Kurd from Northern Kurdistan, who was detained on 7 March by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Hewlêr is said to be under the risk of being handed over to the Turkish state now.

Kurdish people living in Hewlêr had staged a march to protest the attacks of the KDP-affiliated armed forces against Shengal's Khanasor town in the month of March. Özen was detained following this demonstration which he had attended, and he is held at Hewlêr General Asayish Center for 6 months since.

A citizen just released from the 4th prison ward where Özen is being held, stated that on Saturday Özen was taken to the Turkish Consulate in Hewlêr with the intention to hand him over to the Turkish state.

The citizen who asked to be mentioned anonymous for security reasons said, "On Saturday, Hacı was taken away from our ward to the Turkish consulate, but was returned due to the holiday. They say they will take him to there again on Tuesday, but I was released after one day, so I don't know if they already handed him over or not."

Özen's family said that when they visited him in May, his statement still had not been taken, and Özen told them he had been penned up along with dozens of people in a cell of 16 square meters, and was still suffering from an untended wound they had inflicted on him.